Railway cars provided with draft riggings incorporating shock-ab-sorbing mechanisms



Sept. 24,

Filed Dec.

T. c. GRAY ET AL RAILWAY CARS PROVIDED WITH DRAFT RIGGINGS INCORPORATING SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISMS FIGJ HA RRIS TRUST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 SAVINGS BANK, executor THOMAS C. GRAY .AITYS.

T. c. GRAY ET AL 3,402,825 RAILWAY CARS PROVIDED WITH DRAFT RIGGINGS INCORPORATING SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISMS I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w w w 9 l 7 m 2 m L d e w u S F United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed in a railway car an improved draft rigging that comprises in addition to the usual draft gear acting upon the center sill of the underframe thereof a cushion mechanism that acts on the end sill of the underframe; in draft, the draft gear and the cushion mechanism act in parallel relationship, whereby the draft rigging is relatively stiff; in initial buff, the cushion mechanism acts independently of the draft gear, whereby the draft rigging is initially relatively supple; and in subsequent buff, the draft gear and the cushion mechanism act in parallel relationship, whereby the draft rigging is relatively stiff.

The present invention relates to railway cars provided with draft riggings incorporating shock-absorbing mechanisms, and more particularly to a draft rigging of simple construction and arrangement that is relatively stiff in draft, relatively supple in initial buff and relatively stiff in final buff, and yet adequately resilient in both draft and final buff, so as to minimize lading damage.

It is a general object of the invention to provide improved draft rigging of the character noted that utilizes a conventional draft gear, whereby the rigging may be incorporated into a railway car that is already in service or-may be incorporated into a railway car incident to building thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved draft rigging of the character noted that consists entirely of devices that may be installed upon the underframe of the railway car, without modification of the elements of the underframe, and that may be so installed in a simple and ready manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved draft rigging of the character noted that includes cushion mechanism disposed forwardly of the adjacent end sill of-the underframe of the railway car, wherein the cushion mechanism cooperates with conventional draft gear carried by the center sill of the underframe to produce the desired cushioning actions of the draft and buff forces exerted upon the coupling head of the cooperating car coupler.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved draft rigging of the character described, wherein the cushion mechanism mentioned also serves to retain the coupling head of the cooperating car coupler in a proper elevated position with respect to the underframe of the railway car so that the coupling head may effectively perform its usual coupling and uncoupling functions.

. Yet a further object of the invention is to provide improved draft rigging of the character described, wherein the cushion mechanism mentioned consists of a torsion bar that is strained in opposite directions in response to oppositely directed longitudinal movements of the coupli': g head of the cooperating car coupler with respect to the adjacent end sill of the underframe of the railway car.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the elements of the railway car draft rigging, whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objectsand advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of railway car draft rigging and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged lateral sectional view of the car coupler forming a part of the draft rigging, this view being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of tthe car coupler, this view being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view of the draft rigging and illustrating the torsion bars and the cantilever rods forming the cushion mechanism incorporated therein and disposed between the extreme front end of the shank structure of the car coupler and the adjacent end sill of the underframe of the railway car, this view being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, there is diagrammatically illustrated one end of the underframe of a conventional railway car that includes a longitudinally extending center sill 10 and a laterally extending end sill 11 rigidly secured to the adjacent end of the end sill 10. The outer end of the end sill 10 has an opening 10a formed therein that is aligned with an opening 11a formed in the end sill 11; and a striker plate 12 is rigidly secured to the outer surface of the end sill 11 and provided with an opening 12a therein that is longitudinally aligned with the openings 10a and 11a. The outer portion of the center sill 10 disposed immediately inwardly of the striker plate 12 is hollow and has a draft pocket 13 formed therein; and a draft gear 14 is arranged in the draft gear pocket 13; which draft gear 14 may be of the conventional frictional type. The draft gear 14 forms a part of the draft rigging incorporated in the underframe of the railway car and em bodying the features of the present invention. Specifically, the front end of the draft gear 14 cooperates in the usual manner with a front follower 15, and the rear end of the draft gear 14 cooperates in the usual manner with a rear follower, not shown. In turn, the front following 15 cooperates in the usual manner with front draft lugs 16 rigidly secured to the adjacent interior portions of the center sill 10, and the rear follower cooperates in the usual manner with rear draft lugs, not shown, rigidly secured to the adjacent interior portions of the center sill 10. The draft gear 14 and the cooperating front and rear followers are embraced by the usual yoke 17 of substantially U-shaped configuration and including upper and lower arms 17a and 17b respectively positioned above and below the draft gear 14 and projecting forwardly in the hollow center sill 10 toward the outer open end 10a thereof.

Further, the draft rigging comprises a railway car coupler 20 that includes a coupling head 31, a primary shank 41, and a secondary shank 51. The coupling head 31 is of any suitable type, a conventional A.A.R. Type B being illustrated, 'by way of example; which coupling head 31 includes a guard arm 32, a pivotally mounted knuckle 33, a knuckle thrower, not shown, a lock, not shown, a locklift assembly, not shown, and the other usual appurtenances; which organization of elements is not described in further detail, in the interest of brevity.

The secondary shank 51 is arranged in the outer open end 10a of the center sill 10 and projects forwardly through the openings l-lqand 12a respectively formed in the end sill 11 and in the striker plate 12 to the exterior; and the'inner end of the secondary shank 51 is operatively connected to the yoke 17 and cooperates with the front follower 15, all in the usual manner. Specifically, an upstanding opening 52 is formed in the inner end of the secondary shank 51 and receives an upstanding connecting pin 53. The opposite ends of the connecting pin 53 are arranged in two aligned vertically spaced-apart openings respectively fromed in'the outer ends of the upper and lower arms 17a and 17b of the yoke 17; and the extreme outer ends of the connecting pin 53 respectively engage in sliding relationship with upper and lower wear plates 18a and 18b. The upper wear plate 18a is carried by the adjacent top wall structure of the center sill and the lower wear plate 18b is carried by an adjacent lower yoke support 19 that is carried by the adjacent outer end of the center sill 10. The outer surface of the extreme rear end of the secondary shank 51 comprises a strap portion 51a that is of general semi-spherical configuration and is received in a corresponding semi-spherical cavity a formed in the adjacent front surface of the front follower 15, in the usual manner; and moreover, a bearing block 54 is arranged in the opening 52 at the rear side of the upstanding connecting pin 53 and in interposed relation with respect to the rear side of the connecting pin 53 and the adjacent front side of the strap portion 51a of the extreme rear end of the secondary shank 51. The rear side of the bearing block 54 and the front side of the strap portion 51a of the secondary shank 51 that are disposed in contact with each other are provided with the usual substantially semi-cylindrical surfaces so as to accommodate lateral articulation of the secondary shank 51 in the horizontal direction about the connecting pin 53 and with respect to the front follower 15, all in a conventional manner. The extreme front end of the secondary shank 51 terminates in a pair of laterally spaced-apart and forwardly projecting arms 55 that extends through the longitudinally aligned openings 11a and 12a, the extreme front ends of the arms 55 being disposed somewhat forwardly of the front surface of the striker plate 12.

The extreme front end of the primary shank 41 is disposed well forwardly of the striker plate 12 and merges into the extreme rear end of the coupling head 31, the extreme front end of the primary shank 41 and the extreme rear end of the coupling head 31 being preferably formed integrally with each other. .T he extreme rear end of the primary shank 41 projects through the longitudinally aligned openings 12a and 11a into the front opening 10a formed in the center sill 10; and the intermediate portion of the primary shank 31 has a horizontally disposed andlongitudinally extending slot 41a therein defining corresponding upper and lower longitudinally extending arms 45 cooperating with the arms of the secondary shank 51. More particularly, the extreme rear ends of the arms 45 of the primary shank 41 are arranged between the arms 55 of the secondary shank 51; and the arms 45 and 55 are interconnected by lost-motion mechanism including a laterally extending key 46 carried in a pair of laterally aligned holes formed in the outer ends of the arms 55 and projecting laterally through the slot 41a and thus between the arms 45. The principal body or shank of the key 46 is rectangular in cross section so as to prevent rotation thereabout of the rear end of the primary shank 41 with respect to the front end of the secondary shank 51; and one end of the key 46 terminates in an enlarged head 47 so as to prevent undesired displacement of the key 46 from the holes formed in the outer arms 55. This lost-motion mechanism or connection between the rear end of the primary shank 41 and the front end of the secondary shank 51 accommodates predetermined limited longitudinal movements between the shanks 41 and 51 as established by the length of the slot 41a and the width of the key 46; whereby this lost-motion mechanism thus establishes corresponding front-and rear limit positions for the primary shank 41 with respect to .thesecondary. shank 51. Moreparti-cularly, the primary shank 41 is shown in its front limit position with repsect to the secondary shank 51, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3; and it will be appreciated that the primary shank 41 is movablelongitudinally rearwardly from its front limit position illustrated into its rear limit position, not illustrated, withrespect to the secondary shank 51. V

Further, the draft rigging comprises cushion mechanism that essentially comprises a pair of resilient torsion bars 61 and 62 and a pair of resilient cantilever rods 63 and 64. More particularly, a pair of rigid pedestals 65 and 66 are arranged in laterally spaced-apart relation on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline of the center sill 10 and respectively adjacent to the corresponding opposite front sides of the end sill 11 and rigidly secured thereto, as by welding. The torsion bars 61 and 62 are arranged in upstanding laterally spaced-apart relation and are respectively rigidly carried by the pedestals 65 and66. More particularly, the lower ends of the torsion bars 61 and 62 are respectively rigidly secured to the pedestals 65 and 66; and the upper ends of the torsion bars 61 and 62 respectively carry a pair of fixtures 67 and 68. The fixture 67 is rigidly secured in place upon the upper end of the torsion bar 61 by .a pair of diammetrically opposed keys 69; and the fixture 68 is rigidly secured in place upon the upper end of the torsion bar 62 by a pair of diammetrically opposed keys 70. The fixture 67 carries an embracing yoke 71 that is pivotally connected thereto by a cooperating pivot pin 72; and likewise, the fixture 68 carries an embracing yoke 73 that is pivotally connected thereto by a cooperating pivot pin 74. The outer ends of the cantilever rods 63 and 64 are respectively rigidly secured to the yokes 71 and 73 and respectively project laterally .and forwardly inwardly with respect thereto and toward the longitudinal center line of the center sill 10. Specifically, the inner end of the cantilever rods 63 and 64 are arranged in crossing relationship with respect to each other, with the cantilever rods 63 and 64 in respective lower and upper positions, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4. More particularly, the junction between the rear end of the coupling head 31 and the front end of the primary shank 41 has a pair of cavities 34 and 35 formed therein and respectively arranged in lower and upper positions relative to each other and that respectively receive the inner ends of the cantilever rods 63 and 64. Specifically, the lower cantilever rod 63 projects into the lower cavity 34 and thence through a communicating hole 34a formed in the junction mentioned and thus to the exterior; and the upper cantilever rod 64 projects into the upper cavity 35 and thence through a communicating hole 35a formed in the junction mentloned and thus to the exterior. Accordingly, the previously mentioned crossing of the inner ends of the cantilever rods 63 and 64 takes place within the previously mentioned junction between the extreme rear end of the coupling head 31 and the extreme front end of the primary shank 41, as clearly indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4.

In the arrangement, the positions of the cantilever rods 63 and 64 upon the upper ends of the torsion bars and the positions of the torsion bars 61 and 62 upon the pedestals 65 and 66 are such as to cause the coupling head 3.1 to be biased forwardly with respect to the end sill 11 so that the primary shank 41 is biased forwardly.

with respect to the secondary shank 51 .and' into its normal front limit position as established by the lost-'1 pling head 31 .and the primary shank 41 so as to maintain the coupling head 31 in proper vertical position with respect to the rail heads supporting the railway car, in-

order that the coupling head 31 may effectively perform its usual coupling and upcoupling functions relative to a.

cooperating coupling head.

Considering how the general mode of operation of draft rigging, when .a draft force is exerted upon the coupling head 31, the'same moves longitudinally forwardly; whereby the primary shank 41 moves longitudinally forwardly therewith effecting corresponding longitudinal forward movement of the secondary shank 51, since the primary shank 41 occupies its front limit position with respect to the secondary shankSl, and since the lostmotion mechanism accommodates no substantial longitudinal forward movement of the primary shank 41' out of its front limit position. As the coupling head 31 moves longitudinally forwardly, draft forces are exerted upon the cantilever rods 63 and 64; whereby the cantilever rod 63 rotates or twists the torsion bar 61 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top in FIG. 1; and whereby the cantilever rod 64 rotates or twists the torsion bar 62 in'the clockwise direction as viewed from the top in FIG. 1L Accordingly, the torsion forces developed in the torsion bars 61 and 62 as a consequence of the torsion strains noted above, resiliently oppose the longitudinal outward movement of the coupling head 31; with the result that draft forces are exerted by the torsion bars 61 and 62 upon the pedestals 65 and 66 and thus upon the end sill 11, thereby to cause corresponding draft forces to be exerted upon the underframe of the railway car. Also, as the coupling head 31 moves longitudinally forwardly, the primary shank 41 moves longitudinally forwardly therewith; whereby the secondary shank 51 also moves longitudinally forwardly with the primary shank 4.1, since the primary shank 41 occupies its front limit position; whereby the secondary shank 51 exerts a corresponding draft force upon the yoke 17 through the connecting pin 53, so that a corresponding longitudinal forward movement is imparted to the yoke 17 in order to effect transmission thrrough the draft gear 14 of a corresponding draft force via the front follower 15 and the front lugs 17 to the center sill 10, and thus to the underframe of the railway car.

Recapitulating, when .a draft force is exerted upon the coupling head 31, a part of the draft force is transmitted via the cushion mechanism, including the torsion bars 61 and 62, to the end sill 11 and thus to the underframe of the railway car, and the remainder of the draft force is transmitted via the draft gear 14 to the center sill 10, and thus to the underframe of the railway car. More specifically, the cushion mechanism and the draft gear .14 act in parallel relation; whereby in draft the draft rigging is relatively stiff, although adequately resilient for the draft urpose.

on the other hand, when abuff force is exerted upon the coupling head 31, the same moves longitudinally rearwardly; whereby the primary shank 41 moves longitudinally rearwardly therewith and relative to the secondary shank 51, the lost-motion mechanism, including the key 46 and the slot 41a, accommodating limited relative longitudinal movement of the primary shank 41 with respect to the secondary shank 51 between its front limit position and its rear limit position; with the result that during initial rearward longitudinal movement of the coupling head 31, no buff force is exerted through the draft gear 14 upon the center sill 14. However, as the coupling head 31 moves longitudinally rearwardly, buff forces are exerted upon the cantilever rods 63 and 64; whereby the cantilever rod 63 rotates or twists the torsion bar 61 in the clockwise direction as viewed from the top in FIG. ,1; andwhereby the cantilever 64 rotates or twists the torsion bar 62 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top in FIG. ,1. Accordingly, the torsion forces developed in the torsion bars 61 and 62 as a consequence of the torsion strains noted above, oppose the longitudinal rearward movement of the coupling head 31; with the result that buff forces are exerted by the torsion bars 61 and 62 upon the pedestals 65 and 66 and thus exerted upon the end sill 11, thereby to cause corresponding bufi forces to be exerted upon the underframe of the railway ca'r,

Recapitulating, when a buff force is exerted uponthe couplinghead 31, the same is transmitted initially only via the cushion mechanism, including the torsion bars 61 and 62 to the end sill 11 and thus to the underframe of the railway car, and independently of the draft gear 14. Specifically, the cushion mechanism acts indpendently of the draft gear 14; whereby, in buff, the rigging is initial ly relatively supple although adequately stiff for the initial buff purpose.

After predetermined limited rearward longitudinal movement of the primary shank 41, as a result of the exertion of a butt" force upon the coupling head 31, the primary shank 41 travels from its front limit position into its rear limit position as accommodated by the lostmotion mechanism, including the key 46 and the slot 41a; whereby the primary shank 41 in its rear limit position occupies a buff closure position with respect to the secondary shank 51; with,the result that continued rearward longitudinal movement of the primary shank 41 causes corresponding rearward longitudinal movement of the secondary shank 51, so that the strap portion 51a of the secondary shank 51 acting upon the front follower 15 causes the same to move rearwardly against the draft gear 14, so that the draft gear 14 exerts a corresponding buff force upon the rear follower, not shown, in order to bring about the transmission of a corresponding buff force through the rear draft lug, not shown, upon the center sill 10, and thus upon the underframe of the railway car. In this subsequent longitudinal rearward movement of the primary shank 41, as described above, the primary shank 41 acts through the cushion mechanism, including the cantilever rods 63 and 64 and the torsion bars 61 and 62, to transmit corresponding buff forces to the end sill 11, and thus to the underframe of the railway car.

Recapitulating, during this subsequent longitudinal rearward movement of the primary shank 41 beyond its rear limit position, as a result of the exertion of a buff force upon the coupling head 31, the cushion mechanism and the draft gear 14 act in parallel relationship; whereby in this subsequent buff action, following the initial buff action, the draft rigging is relatively stiff, although adequately resilient for the subsequent buli purpose.

In view of the foregoing, it will be understood that in the initial buff action, the draft rigging is relatively supple, since the cushion mechanism acts independently of the draft gear 14. On the other hand, in the subsequent buff action, the draft rigging is relatively stiff, since the cushion mechanism and the draft gear 14 act together in parallel relation.

This arrangement of the draft rigging is very advantageous, since it is apparent that there is produced no increase in strain slack in draft beyond that produced by the yield of the draft gear 14 in a conventional manner. On the other hand, there is produced a substantial increase in travel of the coupling head in buff, since the initial buff force effects the limited rearward travel of the primary shank 41 relative to the secondary shank 51 and between its front limit position and its rear limit position as established by the lost-motion mechanism; and thereafter, since the final buff force effects yield of the draft gear 14 and the consequent further rearward travelof the secondary shank 51 with the primary shank 41 and the coupling head 51. This substantial increase in the overall longitudinal rearward movement in buff of the draft rigging greatly minimizes the severity of shocks that are transmitted to the underframe of the railway car incident to the carrying out of humping operations in a marshalling yard, in the usual manner; with the result that the improved draft rigging greatly minimizes damage that conventionally results from humping operations, as is well understood in the railroad art.

- In an illustrative exampleo'f the draft rigging, the lostmotion mechanisminterconnecting the primary shank 41 and the secondary shank 51 may have "a draft closure travel that ,is substantially zero and a buff closure "travel of approximately 8"; while the draft gear 14' may have a draft closure travel of 2%" and a buff closure travel of 2 /3". Accordingly, the draft rigging has a total draft closure' travel of only 2% and -a total buff closure travel of 1 O%".7The buff closure travel ofthe lost-motion 'mech-a nism of 8" is not critical, but this amount of biiff closure travel is ordinarily sufiicient. for the present purpose. Hence the draft rigging, in draft, is relatively stiff in its entire draft travel of 2 /8; while the draft rigging, in buff, is relatively supple in its initial buff travel of 8 and is relatively stiff in its subsequent or final buff travel of2 /s.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided in a railway car, an improved draft rigging that comprises, in addition to the usual draft gear acting upon the center sill of the underframe thereof, a cushion mechanism that acts upon the end sill of the underframe;

wherein, in draft, the draft gear and the cushion mecha nism act in parallel relationship; wherein, in initial buff,

the cushion mechanism acts independently of the draftgear; and wherein, in subsequent buff, the draft gear and the cushion mechanism act in parallel relationship; whereby, in draft, the draft rigging is relatively stiff, whereby, in initial buff, the draft rigging is relatively supple; and whereby, in subsequent buff, the draft rigging is relatively stiff.

What is claimed is:

s 1. In a railway car including an underframe provided with a longitudinally extending center sill and a laterally extending end sill rigidly secured to the front end of said center sill, said center sill having an opening into the front end thereof and the front portion of said centersill disposed immediately behind the opening into the front end thereof being hollow and having a draft gear pocket formed therein, and a draft gear disposed in said draft gear pocket and operatively connected to said center sill; the combination comprising .a coupling head disposed forwardly of said end sill and adapted to receive the usual draft and buff forces, a primary shank rigidly connected at the front end thereof to said coupling head and extending rearwardly therefrom, a secondary shank disposed in the opening in the front end of said center sill, lost-motion mechanism interconnecting the rear end of said primary shank and the front end of said secondary shank and accommodating limited relative longitudinal movements of said shanks and establishing both a front limit position and a rear limit position for said primary shank, an operative connection between the rear end of said secondary shank and said draft gear and arranged to transmit both draft and buff forces from said secondary shank-to said center sill through said draft gear, and cushion mechanism interconnecting said primary shank and said end sill and biasing said primary shank into its front limit position, said lost-motion mechanism being arranged to accommodate no substantial outward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position relative to said secondary shank, whereby a draft force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom partially via said cushion mechanism to said end sill and partially via said lost-motion mechanism tosaid secondary shank and thence via said draft gear to said center sill, so that said cushion mechanism and said draft gear act in parallel relation to transmit a draft force from said coupling head to said underframe, said lostmotion mechanism being arranged to accommodate the limited inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position into its rear limit position relative to said secondary shank, whereby a buff force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom during the limited inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position into its rear limit position only via said cushion mechanism to said endsill, so that only said cushio r mechanism acts to transmit an initial buff force from said couplingheadto said underframe, and whereby a buff force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom during inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank beyond its rear limit position partially via said cushion mechanism to said end sill and partially via said lost-motion mechanism to said secondary shank and thence viasaid draft gear tosaid center sill, so that said cushion mechanism and said draft gear act in parallel relation to transmit afinal buff force from said coupling head to said underframe. I a v f 2. The railway car combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said cushion mechanism interconnecting said primary shank and said end sill-also serves to retain said coupling head in a proper elevated position with respectto said underframe so that said coupling head mayreffectively perform its usual coupling and uncoupling functions.

3. The railway car combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said cushion mechanism essentially comprises a resilient torsion member that is strained in one direction in response to outward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position and is strained in the opposite direction in response to inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position.

4. The railway car combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said cushion mechanism essentially comprises an elongated resilient member connected at the inner end thereof to said end sill and connected at the outer end thereof to the outer end of said primary shank at the junction thereof with said coupling head, and wherein said member resiliently opposes either outward longitudinal movement or inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position.

5. In a railway car including an underframe provided with a longitudinally extending center sill and a laterally extending end sill rigidly secured to the front end of said center sill, said center sill having an opening into the front end thereof and the front portion of said center sill disposed immediately behind the opening into the front end thereof being hollow and having a draft gear pocket formed therein, and a draft gear disposed in said draft gear pocket and operatively connected to said center sill; the combination comprising a coupling head disposed forwardly of said end sill and adapted to receive the usual draft and buff forces, a primary shank rigidly, connected at the front end thereof to said coupling head and extending rearwardly therefrom, a secondary shank disposed in the opening in the front end of said center sil-l, lostmotion mechanism interconnecting therear end of said primary shank and the front end of said secondary shank and accommodating limited relative longitudinal'move ments of said shanks and establishing both a front limit position and a rear limit position'for said primary shank, an operative connection between the rear end of said secondary shank and said "draft gear and arranged to transmit both draft and buff forces from said secondary shank to said center sill through said draft gear, said'coupling head and said primary shank and said secondary'sha'nk and said draft gear being arranged in substantial alignment along the longitudinal center line of said center sill,

a first cushion mechanism carried by saide'nd sill"a'n"d" disposed on one side of the longitudinal center line of said" center sill and connected to said primaryshank, a secondcushion mechanism carried by said end sill and disposedon the other side of the longitudinal center line ofsa'id" center sill and connected to saidprimary shank, said cushion mechanisms acting'in parallel relation to bias said primary shank into its front limit position, said lost-motion shank, whereby a draft force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom partially via said cushion mechanisms to said end sill and partially via said lost-motion mechanism to said secondary shank and thence via said draft gear to said center sill, so that said cushion mechanisms and said draft gear act in parallel relation to transmit a draft force from said coupling head to said underframe, said lost-motion mechanism being arranged to accommodate the limited inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position into its rear limit position relative to said secondary shank, whereby a buff force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom during the limited inward longitudinal movemen of said primary shank from its front limit position into its rear limit position only via said cushion mechanisms to said end sill, so that only said cushion mechanisms act in parallel relation to transmit an initial buff force from said coupling head to said underframe, and whereby a buff force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom during inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank beyond its rear limit position partially via said cushion mechanisms to said end sill and partially via said lostmotion mechanism to said secondary shank and thence via said draft gear to said center sill, so that said cushion mechanisms and said draft gear act in parallel relation to transmit a final buff force from said coupling head to said underframe.

6. In a railway car including an underframe provided with a longitudinally extending center sill and a laterally extending end sill rigidly secured to the front end of said center sill, said center sill having an opening into the front end thereof and the front portion of said center sill disposed immediately behind the opening into the front end thereof being hollow and having a draft gear pocket formed therein, and a draft gear disposed in said draft gear pocket and operatively connected to said center sill; the combination comprising a coupling head disposed forwardly of said end sill and adapted to receive the usual draft and buff forces, a primary shank rigidly connected at the front end thereof to said coupling head and extending rearwardly therefrom, a secondary shank disposed in the opening in the front end of said center sill, lost-motion mechanism interconnecting the rear end of said primary shank and the front end of said secondary shank and accommodating limited relative longitudinal movements of said shanks and establishing both a front limit position and a rear limit position for said primary shank, an operative connection between the rear end of said secondary shank and said draft gear and arranged to transmit both draft and buff forces from said secondary shank to said center sill through said draft gear, said coupling head and said primary shank and said secondary shank and said draft gear being arranged in substantial longitudinal alignment along the longitudinal center line of said center sill,

a first upstanding resilient torsion bar rigidly secured at the lower end thereof to said end sill at a location disposed on one side of the longitudinal center line of said center sill, a first forwardly and inwardly directed resilient cantilever rod connected at the front end thereof to said primary shank and connected at the rear end thereof to the upper end of said first torsion bar, a second upstanding resilient torsion bar rigidly secured at the lower end thereof to said end sill at a location disposed on the other side of the longitudinal center line of said center sill, and a second forwardly and inwardly directed resilient cantilever rod connected at the front end thereof to said primary shank and connected at the rear end thereof to the upper end of said second torsion bar, said torsion bars acting in parallel relation to bias said primary shank into its front limit position, said lost-motion mechanism being arranged to accommodate no substantial outward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position relative to said secondary shank, whereby a draft force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom partially via said cantilever rods and said tor-tion bars to said end sill and partially via said lost-motion mechanism to said secondary shank and thence via said draft gear to said center sill, so that said torsion bars and said draft gear act in parallel relation to transmit a draft force from said coupling head to said underframe, said lost-motion mechanism being arranged to accommodate the limited inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position into its rear limit position relative to said secondary shank, whereby a buff force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom during the limited inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank from its front limit position into its rear limit position only via said cantilever rods and said torsion bars to said end sill, so that only said torsion bars act in parallel relation to transmit an initial buff force from said coupling head to said underframe, and whereby a buff force exerted by said coupling head upon said primary shank is transmitted therefrom during inward longitudinal movement of said primary shank beyond its rear limit position partially via said cantilever rods and said torsion bars to said end sill and partially via said lost-motion mechanism to said secondary shank and thence via said draft gear to said center sill, so that said torsion bars and said draft gear act in parallel relation to transmit a final buff force from said coupling head to said underframe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,039,266 4/1936 Barrows et al 213-8 3,152,699 10/ 1964 Vickerman 213-8 3,164,265 1/1965 Price 21364 DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner. 

